Scott came home from his daily gym workout in 2019 and in an excited state said, “THE AZORES!”. Now I have a little geography understanding being that I homeschooled our 3 kids and made sure they were learning at meal times with placemats that were maps of the U.S. and World and yet my response was, “What are THE AZORES?”.
Scott explained that these volcanic islands are called the Hawaii of the Atlantic and were relatively unknown (confirmed by my initial response). He then went on to share how he caught up with a high school classmate, Bill, at the gym who had just returned from, “the best yoga retreat EVER” at Santa Barbara Eco Resort.
Scott shared Bill’s phone number and we set up a call. When someone starts off saying, “I can’t wait to go back next year”, I figured we stumbled onto a gem much like Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort because I feel the same way every year and look forward to our return.
Let’s get into the nitty gritty of my “WHY”.
When Bodhi Tree showed up unexpectedly in 2018 it was in alignment with much of what’s important to me. First the resort is Eco Sustainable and fits in with the natural landscape of Nosara, Costa Rica. It’s also a “luxury” resort which is important because a girl needs high thread count sheets and the little things in life to feel pampered like spa treatments and gorgeous yoga studios! Santa Barbara Eco Resort is similar in many ways being a luxury, beach front resort that’s built into the landscape.
In our Baltimore life I buy much of our food from local, regenerative farmers. We eat seasonally and locally as much as possible. That means we don’t eat strawberries or avocados in January. Scott also grows some of our food. We just finished the last of our spaghetti squash harvest from the fall as Scott is actively preparing for this year’s growing season. Imagine my excitement to learn at Santa Barbara the chefs prepare meals with fresh produce from their gardens and are known for local sea food and dairy (yes the cows are pasture raised, free roaming & raised without antibiotics or hormones). You can gander some of the garden and food posts on the resorts Instagram posts. It’s a true Farm to Table Experience!
Chef Vitor Sobral and Bruno Schmatz
We initially had the retreat scheduled for 2020 and good things come to those who wait! Santa Barbara now has a wellness space with cardio equipment, massage and hot tub (did I mention the rooms all have an outdoor water feature too? Jacuzzi or saltwater pool along with the infinity pool overlooking the ocean!?!?!). The yoga space is serene and calming as pictured on the retreat details page HERE.
Last on the WHY list are hikes to explore Sao Miguel to Sete Cidades and Furnas Fogo. BONUS! Hot Springs! Volcanoes’ heat needs to escape to the surface and the hot spring is the vehicle for this to happen. As much as I’m trying to get into the benefits of Cold Plunges at 50 degrees or less to reduce inflammation & improve circulation, I’d much prefer a natural hot tub in a gorgeous setting!
There are other benefits to volcanic islands. The soil is nutrient dense, so food has more nutrition. There is also perhaps a higher magnetism and if you’re into grounding you’ll appreciate this! Lastly the sunset glow can be seen from the resort so a natural Red Light Therapy. If you’re scratching your head and wondering what grounding and red light are remember this is a WELLNESS RETREAT and the best time to learn about these “therapies” while experiencing them and how you can bio-hack them at home!
Now you know What and Why the crucial WHERE is the question. If you’re coming from the U.S. east coast it’s less than 5 hours from Boston. The resort is 20-30 minutes from the Airport. If you’re flying from Europe the flight is 5-6 hours. Easy, right?
Join us for a WELLNESS EXPERIENCE October 1 - 8, 2026 DETAILS HERE